XenApp and XenDesktop 7.8 released

The new version of XenApp and XenDesktop has been released yesterday and is available for download. As it was communicated in December, version 7.8 includes lots of improvments  and new features that simplify application management and increase scalability and system performance.

The most important new features are the following:

• Application management and delivery through new AppDisk technology – AppDisk app layering technology that lets you package and manage applications independent of your master desktop or server image. AppDisk alleviates the management complexity of multiple, departmental-based images by instantly layering applications onto your golden image based on different employee needs, making it easier than ever to deliver, install or update an application without changing or impacting the pristine, master image.
• Seamless integration of Microsoft App-V packages with Citrix Studio – Citrix Studio can be used to manage the distribution of your App-V application packages to virtual desktops or XenApp servers without requiring separate App-V server and database infrastructure, simplifying the administrative processes and eliminating additional infrastructure costs, but providing the same great app streaming benefits.
• Support for Windows Server 2016 Tech Preview – The 7.8 Server Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) has also been updated for Windows Server 2016 Tech Preview 4. Now you can try publishing applications and desktops from the next generation Microsoft server platform as well as installing key XenApp and XenDesktop management components, such as the Delivery Controller.

Enhacements:

• Enhanced app publishing experience within Citrix Studio – Citrix has enhanced the Studio administration console to provide an even more intuitive user interface for publishing applications. The new Studio interface enables you to quickly publish apps to multiple delivery groups. Also, improved tag management enables easier tracking across machines, apps and delivery groups.
• Higher server scalability for innovative Framehawk remote display technology – This release brings scalability enhancements that enable over 40% reduction in memory footprint, up to 20% increase in CPU efficiency, and over 50% improvement in bandwidth efficiency when scrolling via touch input.
• Innovative 3D graphics performance for virtual desktops – This release brings even more enhancements, including the combination of our innovative Framehawk display technology with our high performance HDX 3D Pro graphics acceleration for Windows 7 and 8 virtual desktops.
• Enhanced monitoring with session recording for VDI & Remote PC – Intelligent session recording is now available for XenDesktop VDI and Remote PC Access instances as well as XenApp published apps and desktops. With session recording, you can monitor user activity either in virtual applications or within a virtual desktop for instant on-demand playback.
• Simplifying the virtualization of healthcare apps – Virtualizing mission-critical healthcare applications is imperative for ensuring security, protecting data privacy and meeting compliance mandates. However, certain healthcare applications have special licensing requirements that can make virtualization challenging. XenApp and XenDesktop architecture now enables the virtualized instance of the healthcare app to access the client’s endpoint device name, which can be critical for application licensing.
• Automate new deployments and streamline site configuration – As part of the 7.8 launch, all existing XenApp and XenDesktop customers with active Software Maintenance (SWM) or Subscription Advantage (SA) will have access to the Deploy edition of Citrix Lifecycle Management to simplify and automate the deployment of XenApp and XenDesktop.
  In addition, Citrix is releasing a new Secure Browser Deployment Kit which is available as an automated Citrix Lifecycle Management XenApp Secure Browser Blueprint or amanual deployment guide to help you rapidly deploy XenApp for one of today’s most common use case, securely delivering web and SaaS applications

XenApp and XenDesktop 7.8 is available for download from citrix.com website.